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On the trail of the Holy Grail

Finding the Holy Grail would be, well . . . like finding the Holy Grail. For background, The Holy Grail (French: Saint Graal, Breton: Graal Santel, Welsh: Greal Sanctaidd, Cornish: Gral) is a treasure that serves as an important motif in Arthurian literature. Different traditions describe it as a cup, dish or stone with miraculous powers that provides eternal youth or sustenance in infinite abundance, often…

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Where would we be without Google Maps?

Look away if you're over a certain age.  This next sentence will be painful. As of the date of this article, Google celebrates its twenty-fourth year in existence.   And Google Maps is seventeen.  They grow up so quickly. But, as you might imagine, it hasn't always been completely smooth.  And it's had its issues.  Here…

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Why, you lousy rat gangster

When you think of old-style mobsters, you usually think of New York City, where almost all crime happens in American cinema.  But, Chicago Illinois had its run of criminals, especially in the 1930's.  People like  "Al" Capone, John Dillinger,  "Baby Face" Nelson.... the list goes on and on. There is still an element of romance with…

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Fly even faster than Mach 0.85

Nearly everyone wants the best.  The biggest.  The fastest.  The most expensive. How about flying even faster than the fastest plane?  The Airbus A350-1000 can fly at  Mach 0.89 (513 kn; 950 km/h.)  That is very fast.    But sometimes you want more.  You want the best.  So how can you fly even faster than…

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Plan a Savannah (holiday)

The United States is a vast chunk of land, with all types of terrain, climates and adventures.  Many of you may have already visited -  or may even reside there. (We did, a long time ago.)  Calling it diverse would be an understatement. Most travelers tend to focus on New York, or Los Angeles, San…

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Updated: Luxury train through the USA

If you’re a regular visitor here to our site, you’ll know how much we love trains and rail travel. So, we’re happy to offer this mash-up for you train buffs: a USA New England rail tour courtesy of the UK’s Great Rail Journeys. Discover the stunning warm hues of New England's golden season, exploring America's…

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Pobrecito: the twelve year-old president

It's not easy being important.  Above and beyond all of your daily duties, you have even more activities that fill up the rest of the day.  And that day often turns into night, since you're so busy. But some important people just can't get a break. Pity poor Pedro Sánchez, the Spanish Prime Minister.  Smart, young, handsome…

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The best of an island is once you get there*

“Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.” – Anne Lamott “We live on an island surrounded by a sea of ignorance. As our island of knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance.” – John Archibald Wheeler “How I wish that somewhere there existed an…

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Turkish delight

Here's a bit of fun for you. The amusing (and complex, so pay attention) Turkish Netflix series, Midnight at the Pera Palace, is a sharp, stylish and binge-worthy adventure.  Initially set in modern-day Istanbul, a journalist is thrust into the past and must stop a plot that could change the fate of modern Turkey. What…

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Vanuatu much

Chances are good that you've not heard of Vanuatu.  A South Pacific Ocean nation made up of roughly 80 islands that stretch 1,300 kilometers, we discovered it purely out of chance and we're glad that we did.  Previously known as the New Hebrides Islands, it is an archipelago nation in the southwest Pacific Ocean, north of…

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Here comes the sun… stone

Little darling . . . the the Aztec sun stone (Spanish: Piedra del Sol) is a late post-classic Mexica sculpture housed in the National Anthropology Museum in Mexico City, and is perhaps the most famous work of Mexican sculpture.  It is also somewhat of an enigma. There are no clear indications about the authorship or purpose…

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India’s underwater kingdom

India is a spectacular place.  So many layers of so many things.  History that stretches far into the past and a future that is rocketing into fantastic new directions.  Lovely, kind and curious people.   But, its antiquity also holds its own foggy mysteries.  One of which is the lost kingdom Dwarka.  Originally,  Dwarka was believed to…

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Blursed Castle

We here at Matouring.com are egalitarian:  we're not always about yachts and expensive hotels.  (Come to think about it, we rarely write about that.) But, we do look for the unusual for you, our diverse and eclectic readers.  In this case, we're talking about the stunning coastline and local wineries Central Coast of California, but…

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